Riau Islands, W. Irian Jaya still lack election commissions<\/p>\n
Moch. N. Kurniawan and Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post,
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno has sent a letter to the
\nGeneral Elections Commission (KPU) instructing it to establish
\nprovincial election commissions or KPUDs in the newly established
\nbut troubled West Irian Jaya and Riau islands provinces.<\/p>\n
\"We received his letter last week. This delivers a signal that
\nthe government may soon execute the establishment of the two
\nprovinces,\" KPU member Mulyana W. Kusumah told reporters in his
\noffice on Wednesday.
\ng The government has been planning to separate Papua into three
\nprovinces as follows: West Irian Jaya, Central Irian Jaya and
\nPapua as stipulated in Law No. 45\/1999 although many protested
\nthe plan as it conflicts with Law No. 21\/2001 on Papua's special
\nautonomy status.<\/p>\n
The law on Papua's special autonomy status stipulates that the
\npartition of the province should gain the approval of the Papuan
\nconsultative assembly, which has not yet been established.<\/p>\n
\"In the West Irian Jaya issue, we will seek a legal opinion
\nfrom the Supreme Court to determine which law we should follow
\nbefore we prepare the provincial KPU,\" Mulyana said.<\/p>\n
In the Riau islands case, the House endorsed a bill on the
\nestablishment of the Riau islands province in September last
\nyear, separating the islands from the Riau province.<\/p>\n
At that time, Hari said further legal and technical
\npreparations were necessary for the establishment of the new
\nprovince.<\/p>\n
KPU has given the government until the end of September to
\nestablish new provinces and regencies so that the commission
\ncould allocate legislative seats for the provinces and regencies.<\/p>\n
Mulyana said if the establishment of West Irian Jaya and Riau
\nislands provinces could be realized, KPU must rearrange the
\ndistribution of legislative seats.<\/p>\n
Under the new election law, existing provinces should get a
\nsimilar number of seats to those in the 1999 election, meaning
\nPapua should get at least seven seats in the House of
\nRepresentatives (DPR).<\/p>\n
Riau got 10 seats at the House in the 1999 election, but it is
\nexpected to have 14 seats in the 2004 election due to its large
\npopulation.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, eight political parties have taken the registration
\nforms to join in the 2004 election.<\/p>\n
The parties are Democratic Catholic Party (PKD), Indonesian
\nUnion Party (PSI), Justice and Unity Party of Indonesia (PKP
\nIndonesia), Crescent Star Party (PBB), Crescent Party of Reform
\n(PBR), Love the Nation Democratic Party (PDKB), National Concern
\nParty (PKPB), and Love the Nation Peace Promoter Party (PPDKB).<\/p>\n
Separately, home minister Hari Sabarno said the government
\nwould issue a decree to regulate leave for the President and Vice
\nPresident during the campaign period in the coming 2004 election.<\/p>\n
Citing that both officials are also party leaders, Hari said
\nthe regulation would obligate them to take turns in taking a
\nleave during the 21-day campaign period.<\/p>\n
\"The regulation will also apply to ministers and regional
\nheads as they will have to take turns in campaigning to ensure
\nthat the campaign does not hamper the daily government
\nactivities,\" Hari said.<\/p>\n
He further said that during their official leave, government
\nofficials would be prohibited from using state facilities.<\/p>\n
\"Except official residence and security guards for the
\nPresident and Vice President, the rest of the facilities will not
\nbe available for them during the period,\" the minister said.<\/p>\n
However, the minister failed to answer the question who will
\nsign the permit for the President and Vice President to take a
\nleave due to the absence of a regulation on the matter.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/riau-islands-w-irian-jaya-still-lack-election-commissions-1447893297",
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